Mobile device attention detection

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed for mobile device attention detection. An example apparatus includes a mobile meter to receive, from an external device, a signal to gather user attention data, and transmit the user attention data. The example apparatus further includes an interval timer to activate a time period for determining attention of a user. The example apparatus further includes an attention determiner to generate the user attention data during the time period.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 collecting, using a set meter, media information; 
 identifying using the media information a start of a media event of interest; and 
 transmitting, based on an identification of the start of the media event of interest, a control start signal from the set meter to a mobile meter on a mobile device,
 wherein reception of the control start signal by the mobile meter causes the mobile meter to initiate gathering of user attention data. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the control start signal from the set meter to the mobile meter comprises transmitting over at least one of a Wi-Fi, a Bluetooth, or a cellular interface. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is a smartphone. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying using the media information the start of the media event of interest comprises using at least one of watermarking, signature matching, or automatic content recognition (ACR). 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein collecting, using the set meter, media information comprises obtaining a watermark; and wherein identifying using the media information the start of the media event of interest comprises decoding the watermark to identify the media event of interest and the start of the media event of interest. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying an end of the media event of interest; 
 receiving user attention data for a period of time after transmitting the control start signal, wherein the user attention data is indicative of whether a user is viewing the mobile device; and 
 transmitting, based on an identification of the end of the media event of interest, a control end signal from the set meter to the mobile meter to stop gathering attention information. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the user attention data is received prior to identifying the end of the media event of interest, and wherein the user attention data is received by the set meter from the mobile meter. 
     
     
       8. A computing system comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause performance of a set of operations comprising:
 collecting, using a set meter, media information; 
 identifying using the media information a start of a media event of interest; and 
 transmitting, based on an identification of the start of the media event of interest, a control start signal from the set meter to a mobile meter on a mobile device,
 wherein reception of the control start signal by the mobile meter causes the mobile meter to initiate gathering of user attention data. 
 
 
 
     
     
       9. The computing system of  claim 8 , wherein transmitting the control start signal from the set meter to the mobile meter comprises transmitting over at least one of a Wi-Fi, a Bluetooth, or a cellular interface. 
     
     
       10. The computing system of  claim 8 , wherein the mobile device is a smartphone. 
     
     
       11. The computing system of  claim 8 , wherein collecting, using the set meter, media information comprises obtaining a watermark; and wherein identifying using the media information the start of the media event of interest comprises decoding the watermark to identify the media event of interest and the start of the media event of interest. 
     
     
       12. The computing system of  claim 8 , wherein identifying using the media information the start of the media event of interest comprises using at least one of watermarking, signature matching, or automatic content recognition (ACR). 
     
     
       13. The computing system of  claim 8 , the set of operations further comprising:
 identifying an end of the media event of interest; 
 receiving user attention data for a period of time after transmitting the control start signal; and 
 transmitting, based on an identification of the end of the media event of interest, a control end signal from the set meter to the mobile meter to stop gathering attention information. 
 
     
     
       14. The computing system of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the user attention data is received prior to identifying the end of the media event of interest, and wherein the user attention data is received by the set meter from the mobile meter. 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a processor,
 cause performance of a set of operations comprising:
 collecting, using a set meter, media information; 
 identifying using the media information a start of a media event of interest; 
 and 
 transmitting, based on an identification of the start of the media event of interest, a control start signal from the set meter to a mobile meter on a mobile device,
 wherein reception of the control start signal by the mobile meter causes the mobile meter to initiate gathering of user attention data. 
 
 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein transmitting the control start signal from the set meter to the mobile meter comprises transmitting over at least one of a Wi-Fi, a Bluetooth, or a cellular interface. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein identifying using the media information the start of the media event of interest comprises using at least one of watermarking, signature matching, or automatic content recognition (ACR). 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , the set of operations further comprising:
 identifying an end of the media event of interest; 
 and 
 transmitting, based on an identification of the end of the media event of interest, a control end signal from the set meter to the mobile meter to stop gathering attention information. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , the set of operations further comprising:
 receiving user attention data for a period of time after transmitting the control start signal. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the user attention data is received prior to identifying the end of the media event of interest, and wherein the user attention data is received by the set meter from the mobile meter.